FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FEBRUARY 11, 2021


Contact Info, Rebekah Rainey
Director of Communications
Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge
225-344-8558 ext. 234 

 

BATON ROUGE, LA: February 11, 2021 – In a new endeavor, the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge is pleased to announce the launch of their Artist Advisory Board! Of the 30 artists who submitted applications, 12 have been selected to this board by a small panel from the Arts Council’s Board of Directors and Staff. The Arts Council’s very first Artist Advisory Board includes the following artists:

  • Clay Achee - Puppeteer & creator of Beyond the Garage
  • Dr. Sinella Aghasi, Arts Administrator, Educator, Violinist
  • Tara Bennett - Arts Administrator 
  • Malaika Favorite - Visual Artist 
  • Mary Felder – Quilter & Mixed Media Artist
  • John Gray, Jr. - Trumpeter and Music Educator
  • Jeoffrey Harris, Jr. - Dancer and Artistic Director
  • Donna Kilbourne – Visual Artist
  • Jack Lampert – Theatre Artist
  • Quiana Lynell – Blues & Jazz Vocalist
  • Winter McCray - Dancer, Choreographer, Educator, Founder of Winter Dance Company
  • Antoine Mitchell - Visual Artist & Comic Book Creator
  • Ellen Ogden – Freelance Artist and Muralist
  • Lana Toniolo - Visual Artist

The Artist Advisory Board is comprised of members working within a variety of artistic disciplines whose age, experience, race and gender identities reflect the diversity found throughout the capital region and beyond. Each member will serve a 2-year term and receive free trainings, admission to the Louisiana Arts Summit, and Artist Memberships with the Arts Council. 

“This board is but one initiative being employed to improve the Arts Council’s presence throughout its 11-parish region and the less acclaimed parts of our capital city,” says Chancelier “xero” Skidmore, Director of Community Engagement at the Arts Council. “It’s an ongoing conversation where we’re constantly asking how we can establish and strengthen connectivity.”

Now united as a collective of artists and arts administrators, the Artist Advisory Board will meet regularly to share their expertise and opinions with the Arts Council leadership. This diverse collective serves the community through creative dialogue, collaborative thought, and critical feedback. They also serve as liaisons, conveying local community needs back to the Arts Council leadership and thus helping the Arts Council to serve its region with a genuine receptiveness. 

For more information about the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, please visit www.artsbr.org.

For headshot photos of each AAB member, click HERE

####

Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge: Established in 1973, the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge endeavors to promote cultural growth, economic development, and educational enhancement through the arts in the 11-parish region that it serves. As the official arts agency for the City Parish of East Baton Rouge, the organization serves as a hub for information and resources organizations and residents across the state. For more information, visit www.artsbr.org